Each time you eat, your body quickly releases a natural gut hormone called GLP-1. It stimulates insulin, which escorts blood sugar into cells. It also slows stomach emptying, so you feel fuller longer. Now, Swedish researchers have found that boosting GLP-1's actions can help diabetics control blood sugar.

In a 4-week study of 93 people with type 2 diabetes, those who took an experimental drug that enhanced GLP-1 had significant decreases in fasting blood sugar levels and their after-meal levels as well (Diabetes Care, May 2002).